Volatile
by slexietimes
Summary: Volatile - liable to change rapidly and unpredictably, especially for the worse. AU where Bridget is an ex-psychologist and inmate whose about 30 and Franky's barely an adult and hasn't built her walls, because I love their relationship but it was pretty inappropriate, from a professional point of view.


Season 1 Episode 1

"Your first time babe?" Is she talking to me or the nervous red head? I look down and try to get my leg to stop moving, up and down, up and down. "Oi, Talking to you", she wanted the red head. Deep breaths, I clench my bound hands to make fists, I wanted to punch something or someone, once I get angry enough there's little difference except the sound of flesh hitting flesh and the smell of blood, but, deep breaths, deep breaths, it'll only make things worse, it always does.

"What's your name?'

"Bea" She cleared her throat, "Bea Smith"

"Bea", I echo before laughing, both older women glare at me, deep breaths, deep breaths. I start cracking my knuckles and fingers, fighting the urge to break them, deep breaths, suppose that's always been my mantra, what they told me to do when I was just a kid and I got in trouble for breaking noses, now I'm and adult in trouble for assault, at least I'm consistent I thought with a smirk and a small laugh.

The two curly hair women now looked at me with apprehension, unsure if I'm unstable or coming off something strong, deep breaths, I prolly looked like a lunatic the way I was laughing to myself, satisfying cracks echoed the silent cabin and my leg went up and down, up and down again.

The police van came to a holt, Bea looked nervous, the other woman comfortable, I sunk back into my chair and listened to the dogs bark, I fucking hate dogs, ever since I was a kid, deep breaths aren't fucking working. The barking got louder as the door opened.

"G'day Chris, ya know the drill mate, want a gobby? It'll cost ya", The woman smiled at the guard as he opened up the van, Bea looked uncomfortable as he closed the door, effectively closing in the four of us in. Just as he started to unzip he's fly he asked me if I too smoked, seeing that well known lusty gaze, and the fact I was cuffed and closed in I couldn't help it, I threw up all over my favourite shirt. The guard looked at me disgusted, the other woman disappointed as she lost her cigs, Bea Smith rubbed my back and I didn't have the energy to shove her off, honestly I didn't want to shove her off.

Fuck deep breaths, this is not a good start.

The van started again and jerked me forward, making more vomit come up, Chris looked at me like he knew I would be eaten alive inside, a bit of sympathy and a lot of predatory, Bea Smith kept telling me I'd be okay and kept rubbing soothing circles on my back, she seemed more scared than me but had an undeniable caring quality to her, she must have kids, lucky for them she seems like good sort, what could she have done to end up in here? I don't give it to much thought, as I'm jerked from the van by a new guard, I hadn't even realised it had stopped, luckily he kept me at a distance, prolly cause I smelt like vomit, this was good for me, I didn't deal well with touch, especially of the restrictive kind.

Processing was quick, I could barely process what was said and done to me but I did remember another inmate pissing herself, suddenly I didn't feel so bad about being covered in puke.

I answered the questions with little thought, name, address etc.

I think I lucked out with Miss Bennet, she gave me a new shirt and seemed nice, didn't even pull a face at the vomit.

"Next of kin?"

"I-I-I don't h-have anyone", I know the stutter is pathetic, but ever since I was a kid intimidating figures had that effect on me, I'll need to work on it if I want to survive this place.

Miss Bennet looked more sad than startled and told be that we'd have to look into arranging something.

Once the papers where filed, Miss B collected an out-of-it Bea, handed us our approved items, and took both of us put through the garden, Miss B recited about how this can be overwhelming and the support in place, yada yada, I tuned her out only to become aware of how some of the woman were looking at me, like Chris did, like they were going to eat me, deep breaths, I hope my face looked as impassive as I willed it to be.

Miss B introduced us to H2 block mainly the rules, I don't do well with rules, I reckon that could become a problem in my current predicament.

Bea sat down at the small plastic table near the tv, I followed like a little bitch, I just didn't know what todo with myself. Minutes of uncomfortable silence passed until I felt happy enough with my rehearsed conversation, "N-nice colour." Good so far, "Your hair," I clarified. "Do it yourself?" She was smiling at this stage. "Yeah I'm a hairdresser", "When do you open for business?" She catches on that I'm joking, "Don't have any of my things" We laughed briefly, I thought of a sexual innuendo, but this women not even an hour ago was rubbing my back as I puked, I don't think she'll be finding me sexy anytime soon.

"What's your name?"

"Franky", she moved to shake my hand but then hesitated and dropped it, she also didn't know what to do with herself I figured.

We were saved from uncomfortable silence as an older blonde woman and a young black women with a child on her hip entered the unit, through those fucking cage doors, deep breaths, I clench my now unrestricted hands, it helped. The blonde introduce herself as Liz, a peerworker, The

black woman as Doreen, Kaiya, the child, belongs to Doreen. Bea quickly introduces herself, handshakes and all, maybe she just didn't know what to do with me. Bea still had an uncomfortable nervous energy round her, but decent enough social skills, she's likeable I mused.

When it became obvious I wasn't going to say anything or grasp any hands Bea was quick to explain, "This is Franky, she's uh a friend, quiet sort." Doreen frowned, and studied my face, trying to read something, I wanted her to stop. "Aw, you're a looker, ain't ya, Frankie? Prolly best if you don't run ya mouth in here, some of the ladies in here can be a bit uh dangerous, but uh you should be fine, if you keep close to Bridget, right Liz?", My eyes widened and my jaw slacked slightly, Doreen must've realised she was scaring me a bit and looked to Liz for reassurance.

"You'll be right love, just stick close to the girls in our unit, we protect our own. If Bridget asks you for anything or to do anything, you best do it, in return for her protection." She gave me a warm smile and I sorta smiled back but it must come off a grimace, as she continued talking to Bea, I didn't want that sort of attention from other inmates.

My room in the middle of the row next to Bea's, Bridget, who I have yet to meet, is on my other side.

I laid down on the bed and started contemplating my new reality, the silence around me and the loudness of my thoughts became all consuming, deep breaths, deep breaths, fuck that, I punched the wall, hard, but not hard enough to break a knuckle or two, just skin. "FUUUCK", I yelled as punched the wall again, and again before moving against the back wall of the cell and sliding down into a sobbing mess, clutching my bleeding hand.

"Budgets cuts must've been real bad this year if we're taking in psych cases now."

She was large, unattractive and had a stupid look to her face, if my hand didn't hurt so much I would've knocked that look off in a second, fuck I wanted to punch her.

"Don't be harsh Boomer," Strict but defiantly upper class, not something you'd expect in prison. I'm still sitting in the back of my cell, a small crowd accumulated by the door, Doreen, Liz, Bea and these two unknown women. The posh voice belonged to a beautiful women, maybe 30, even in standard issue prison clothes she managed to look refined and educated.

She entered my cell and told the rest to not follow, her concerned blue eyes searched for mine but I didn't want to make eye contact. "I'm Bridget, Frankie is it?" No response, my hand was throbbing now and the pain was setting in as I stopped sobbing, closer to whimpering now. "Can I take a look at your hand, it looks like it must hurt a lot."

I vehemently shake my head and somehow scoot closer to wall, I don't want anyone coming near me right now, not in this state.

"She's scared, maybe we should call someone or just leave her to calm down?" That was Bea, she looked nervous, or maybe it's just her face, I hold in a laugh, laughing while I hold my bloodied fist would not help this situation.

Bridget sighs, "Franky you need to have your hand seen to, it looks like you've broken a few knuckles."

No response, I just want everyone to leave.

"Lets just leave her," Boomer said quickly, eager to get away, maybe she isn't too bad.

"What if she hurts herself more?", That was Liz, Doreen nodded her head in agreement, I shook my head.

"What if we close the door and leave you for twenty minutes to calm down, but then you have to go to medical once the twenty minutes are up," Bea's idea wasn't too bad, in twenty minutes I could calm down, I didn't have enough fight in me to rile myself up again.

I quickly nod my head, and watch from the corner of my eye as everyone leaves, Bridget the last closes the door quietly. I made my way onto the most uncomfortable mattress and decide I'm better off on the floor, deep breaths, deep breaths.

Outside I hear faint conversation, "How'd you get her to agree, Red?" Doreen, I think, I'm not too sure whose voice equals who yet.

"I have a kid, most kids just want to cool off after they ha.. explode," I think she wanted to say have a tantrum and changed her mind to save me a bit of dignity.

The "Yeah, but she's not a kid" is left unsaid.

I must have fallen asleep, tired from my emotional outburst, it wasn't much later when Bridget knocked on my door, "Twenty minutes are up Franky, we're going to medical now." The strict tone was back, but it wasn't intimidating, just stern.

The doctor wasn't impressed, she started talking about X-rays and hospitals as she couldn't tell the damage.

"N-nothings b-broken," I muttered softly as she examined the now cleaned knuckles.

"Oh, I'm sorry I didn't see that you had X-ray vision in your file." Snarky bitch, I dig my nails into my calf, an action Bridget catches.

"Wouldn't she be in more pain if she broke anything? Can we just wrap them up?", Bridget seemed impatient and like she didn't want to be in here anymore than me, she didn't have to be but she still stayed with me.

Bridget lead me to the line and passed me a tray, she told me all interesting things, "Don't eat the beans, I've yet to meet someone in here who can stomach them" and "No one knows whats sort or meat we get, but it tastes alright so we don't ask questions," She prods me to grab some mystery meat, I just shake my head, we move on. I carefully selected foods that I feel had no likeliness to have come into contact with eggs or dairy, its hard and not foolproof but I don't think it would be wise going around asking if this had eggs or if that had dairy, advertising to everyone an easy way to kill me, easy to deny too.

Loading up on utensils, I overheard Bea's conversation with who I now know to be Mr Jackson, he assured her he got Bea's daughter on her call list, I was happy for her, she seemed to calm down and lost her nervous energy, something which I always had with me, it unsettled people.

Bridget beckoned us to her table and started chatting with all the women before the Governor made brief conversation with Bridget, asking about drugs in such, she denied everything with an easy going smile and the Governor exited the cafeteria. I ate my rabbit food in silence, all fruit and veg, I sighed softly, too tired to do anything about it.

"Whose this lovely lady Bridget?" An old fat butch was eyeing me up like I was something akin to the mystery meat, I want to disappear into the air.

"Juicy, dear.." Bridget starts sweetly, with a small smile, before turning around and getting in Juicy's face, "Don't fucking mess with her" Juicy was still looking at me, licking her lips. "Fuck off", Bridget was standing now and Juicy and her cronies did back off, not before she could wrap her fat arm around my shoulder and whisper, "I'm going to have my way with you, I want to hear you scream." In pleasure or fear I wonder? I didn't want either. I moved uncomfortably, itching for a shower, the other women shared glances, before looking at me, they didn't say it but they were all thinking about it, how majority of guards and prisoners alike will want their way with me.

Thats when she walked in, Bridget tensed and words were exchanged, all I could gather was that Jacs Holt was back and I was a lot less safe than I was ten minutes ago. I wanted to go back to my cell, Bea too, we both made our way back as the others decided to go outside for rec time, Bridget seemed all to happy to have me return, maybe she's got sick of me, kept me close all morning.

"Hows your hand?", Bea asked softly as we neared the H 2 unit, I liked Bea. I shrugged, she stopped and looked at me, her eyes portraying a want for a verbal answer. Deep breaths."Don't think it's broken, just a skin wound, heal quick enough." I manage a smile with that as we continue our walk through the cage doors into the unit. Bea seems to be debating with herself if she should ask, she does, "Why'd you do that to yourself?"

Deep breaths, deep breaths, I open my mouth to answer when sirens start blaring, deep breaths become shallow breaths, flashbacks to coppers showing up to arrest my mum, to arrest me, play like movies before my eyes, I snap back to reality to see Doreen run in and hand Kaiya to Bea, ushering the two of them into Bea's room, leaving me outside. Fight or flight? I run, don't know where, maybe towards Bridget but theres a growing feeling in my gut that she may be behind me. The flashbacks keep playing but they aren't all consuming so I keep running, dogging shadows and inmates alike.

"Take this," Boomer offers me a shiv, she doesn't think of the implications for me, who she deemed unstable, having a weapon. "Bridget wanted you to have it", then she's off, and I'm alone with the shadows and the memories. Deep breaths Franky, cant freak out now, be too vulnerable.

A shadow moves and grasps at my shoulder, flashes of my mum run through my eyes, I don't remember it but as some point the shive entered near her heart, and I watch the life drain from her eyes as she grasped at me to help. I wiped the shiv handle with my sleeve and kept on running, running far far away, cause I just killed the Governor.


End file.
